OFFICIAL AROUND THE NBA: JANUARY 2025

I noticed that

I also noticed that of the 9 youngest teams, 4 have not only winning records, but have the 2nd, 4th, 6th, and 9th best records in the league. 4 of the 9 youngest teams are in the top-10 teams in the league, and a 5th team has a .500 record. Meaning that only 4 of the 9 youngest teams have losing records.

I'm willing to grant that there could be some correlation to being a young team and finding more ways to lose games than win them. But that list of the 9 youngest teams, all within a year in average age, demonstrates that youth isn't quite as big a factor as many imagine. Looks like management and roster decisions have a much bigger impact

by the way, while the Blazers average age 24.1, the average age of their most used starting lineup is 25.8. Now, I suspect that some of those other teams would have a similar bump above the team average. Except OKC, the average age of their starters is 24.4

 

As long as we get a FRP I'll be ecstatic. Williams is never going to be productive for us in an important game.

 

And then you woke up

 

Not sure about that. What are they, two three years from trying to win? Do you think he has to retire in the next year or two?

 

If we're lucky. Williams isn't going to play much the rest of his career. If he plays half of any season the rest of his career he'll be incredibly lucky.

But he can make a huge difference to a team and contention in the playoffs.

 

That was kinda the point of my original post. If he gets healthy and has an All Star type season is what I said.

Not sure how you are so sure he won’t play but I guess it’s a fairly safe bet. Though the injuries he has had are not career ending. He may very well play 20 mins a game and have a 70 game season. Certainly 60.

 

Well this is all totally my opinion. I obviously haven't done a medical examination on him.

I would much prefer a first round pick. And I would be super excited if we could send him someplace that he could find success.

 

You listed a bunch of differences between the two clubs. Great. Not relevant in context to the assertion that a coach doesn't change things. It obviously does and I proved that.

 

Gotta wish him all the best. He’s certainly worked through some tough days.

 

all of that is probably accurate, but still, over the last 4 seasons

OKC: 24 wins-->40 wins-->57 wins-->68 wins (projected)
Port: 27 wins-->33 wins-->21 wins-->30 wins (projected)

pretty big difference in trajectory

I'm also not a big fan of strictly comparing age vs age of players. As you mentioned, experience is a factor. Sharpe is in his 3rd season. When SGA was in his 3rd season, he averaged 24 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast with a PER of 21.6 (Sharpe 14.7) and a .623 TS% (Sharpe .555). SGA was less than a year older then, than Sharpe is now

Sharpe vs SGA is probably an unfair gauge. SGA was 1st team All-NBA at 24. Unlikely Sharpe gets to that level in 2-3 years

Sharpe vs Jalen Williams seems more appropriate. Then we get into their pre-NBA experience and how big an advantage that gives Williams. But one thing about that that advantage is since both players are playing NBA games now, and Williams is getting playoff experience, Sharpe mat not ever overcome that pre-NBA advantage Williams has

 

Hold on a minute, let me type up a quippy retort.

 

undoubtedly

but that does not mean a young team is losing just because they are young

 

Something about Age doesn’t matter and Mrs HCP might work?

 

Are you comparing our TALENT LEVEL to those teams? You’re not right?

 

did I say I was comparing talent?

pretty clear I was gauging by average age and records

 

Phi loses McCain for the season. Get on the horn Joe. Tale him off their hands!!

 

They have 3 giant salaries then lots of small potatoes, I don’t see how they can trade for any of our vets. It would take 5-6 guys to fit Grant or Simon’s contract to make a trade.